On the origin of the enlarged melodic octave

The perceptual octave is larger than the physical octave, i.e., most listeners perceive that two tones are an octave apart when their frequency ratio is greater than 2. This result is known as the octave enlargement effect. There are two theories for the effect, one of them a central template theory, the other a peripheral timing theory. In principle, it is possible to determine which theory is better by discovering whether or not octave enlargement occurs for centrally generated dichotic pitches such as the Huggins pitch. Experiments show that octave enlargement does indeed occur for Huggins pitch. This is the result predicted by the central template theory, but it can be argued that the result does not entirely eliminate the timing theory. A detailed examination of the two theories shows that each requires revision in order to make the octave enlargement prediction follow logically from its premises. The central template theory requires the auditory system to differentiate excitation caused by different harmonics of a complex tone on some basis other than place of excitation. Neural synchrony is suggested as a basis. The timing theory, originally formulated in terms of a neural interspike interval timing, can be made internally consistent by replacing the neural interspike-interval circuit by a neural autocorrelator.